Oct 23 (Reuters) – Apple’s first folding iPhone, the iPhone Duo, went on sale in stores on Friday, with fans and consumers queueing to get their hands on the new device from Singapore and Shanghai to London and Berlin.
Early reviews praised the Duo’s design and barely visible hinge, but flagged camera compromises, apps not yet adapted to the new display and the device being less handy for quick tasks when folded.
Below are comments from some fans and customers:
CHARITY MANAGER, PAUL FRANCIS, 53, AT THE LONDON STORE:
“Well, some people think it was mad. Including myself. I was here from half nine last night in the pouring rain to queue up for, for a new phone… When a new device like a flip phone comes out from Apple, it’s something that I’m willing to stand out in the pouring rain for”
HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATOR, PATRICIA ALVES, 29, AT THE LONDON STORE:
“I was concerned with the videos with the reviews but it’s actually very good … the pre-order was actually like people said ‘a blood bath’ but we got it.”
IPHONE FAN JEROME SCHAEFFER AT THE BERLIN STORE:
“The price is relatively high. Many software features aren’t available in the EU yet, either… That said, it has turned out to be a very nice piece of hardware.”
STUDENT, HUGO MARFANI, 21, AT THE LONDON STORE:
“I’m a fanboy, I’ve always been excited by the iPhone launches, but this one is truly something cool.”
“It’s way thinner than I thought it would be. And it’s just really cool to use and fold. It’s got such great, satisfying click.”
IPHONE FAN PATRICK WOLTER AT THE BERLIN STORE:
“What really wins me over is having two screens – being able to drag and drop between them.”
“I’ve always found it a hassle to carry around a separate tablet … In the long run, this will likely end up replacing those other (tablet) devices.”
STUDENT, MARTIN DEMETER, 21, AT THE LONDON STORE:
“I wanted to queue because obviously the stock is quite limited. So if I was to wait, I would have to get it in like January. I just really didn’t want to wait for January.”
CHARITY WORKER, CAMERON CUTHBERTSON, 33, AT THE LONDON STORE :
“I think the folding phone is the way forward, because it lets you do so much compared to traditional phones.”
CUSTOMER AND HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL, LIU WEI, 26, AT THE SHANGHAI STORE:
“Maybe the first time you see them, they (foldables) seem impressive. But when you use them over time there might be some shortcomings in the software … so I bought one on launch day to try it out.”
CUSTOMER AND GAMING INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL, LUCAS LI, 36, AT THE SHANGHAI STORE:
“Now that Apple has entered the market, there’s a hope they (foldables) will become mainstream.”
MALE OFFICE WORKER, 33, WHO WAS CONSIDERING BUYING THE PHONE AT THE TOKYO STORE:
“The big screen makes it perfect for watching videos and reading manga.”
(Reporting by Reuters, compiled by Basile Day in Gdansk, editing by Anna Pruchnicka)
